16 Hip Hop Acts That Got Their First Top 10 In 2017

A whopping 16 rap acts have earned a career first in 2017: a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The class is a mix of newcomers who have navigated their way from underground followings on SoundCloud and YouTube to mainstream appeal, as well as more established acts who have finally notched an undeniable smash.

Regardless of their origins, virtually all of these acts can trace their newfound fortune largely to one element: streaming.

Streaming revenue and subscriptions continue to balloon as the main drivers of growth in the music industry, and across nearly all services, hip-hop is king. Nielsen Music’s 2017 mid-year report, released in July, confirmed the genre’s regard with a historic announcement: The R&B/hip-hop field was the first half of 2017’s most consumed genre of music, surpassing rock’s share of the sphere for the first time in Nielsen’s 25 years of tracking data.

As the streaming movement grows, so, too, does the number of first-time top 10 rappers on the Hot 100: The 16 thus far in 2017 mark a notable uptick from the dozen rookies in 2016 and a major boost from six per year for 2015, 2014 and 2013, when Billboard first factored streaming data into weekly Hot 100 calculations.

Lastly, an honorable mention to three soloists who obtained a maiden Hot 100 top 10 as a lead artist in 2017, after they previously reached the tier through a featured credit in prior years. Kendrick Lamar first scaled the top 10 on A$AP Rocky’s “F***in’ Problems” (No. 8) in 2013 before he secured his first leading top 10 with the No. 1 hit “Humble.” this spring. Future’s assistance on Lil Wayne’s “Love Me” took him to No. 9 in 2013, while his own “Mask Off” hit No. 5 in May. And French Montana arrived in the top 10 in 2014 as a supporting act on Chris Brown’s “Loyal” (No. 9), and returned to the region this July with his own No. 3 smash “Unforgettable.”

Here are the 16 acts (in both lead and featured roles) to attain a top 10 breakthrough this year, accompanied by each track that broke the barrier. The list ranks artists in chronological order through the Hot 100 dated Nov. 25. (Note: The list includes rapper Quavo in two capacities – one entry for his solo work, and another as a member of the group Migos.)

Migos & Lil Uzi Vert– “Bad and Boujee”
Top 10 Entrance: Jan. 14
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1 (three weeks)
Peak Date: Jan. 21

Kodak Black – “Tunnel Vision”
Top 10 Entrance: March 18
Hot 100 Peak: No. 6
Peak Date: March 25

Kyle – “iSpy”
Top 10 Entrance: April 1
Hot 100 Peak: No. 4
Peak Date: April 22

Quavo & Travis Scott – as featured on Drake’s “Portland”
Top 10 Entrance: April 8
Hot 100 Peak: No. 9
Peak Date: April 8

Daddy Yankee – with Luis Fonsi on “Despacito”
Top 10 Entrance: May 6
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1 (16 weeks)
Peak Date: May 27

Chance the Rapper – as featured on DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One”
Top 10 Entrance: May 20
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1 (one week)
Peak Date: May 20

Post Malone – “Congratulations”
Top 10 Entrance: June 17
Hot 100 Peak: No. 8
Peak Date: July 8

Swae Lee – as featured on French Montana’s “Unforgettable”
Top 10 Entrance: July 22
Hot 100 Peak: No. 3
Peak Date: Aug. 19

Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
Top 10 Entrance: Aug. 26
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1 (three weeks)
Peak Date: Oct. 7

Yo Gotti – “Rake It Up”
Top 10 Entrance: Sept. 9
Hot 100 Peak: No. 8
Peak Date: Oct. 7

Logic – “1-800-273-8255”
Top 10 Entrance: Sept. 16
Hot 100 Peak: No. 3
Peak Date: Sept. 30

21 Savage – as featured on Post Malone’s “Rockstar”
Top 10 Entrance: Oct. 7
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1 (five weeks to date)
Peak Date: Oct. 28

Young Thug – as featured on Camila Cabello’s “Havana”
Top 10 Entrance: Nov. 11
Hot 100 Peak: No. 2
Peak Date: Nov. 1

Lil Pump – “Gucci Gang”
Top 10 Entrance: Nov. 18
Hot 100 Peak: No. 7
Peak Date: Nov. 18